This is "The Legend of Joe Lee" by John D. MacDonald.

I read it in Judy Merrill's 1965 collection "10th Annual Edition: The Year's Best SF"

The story is written in the PoV of a reporter on assignment for the story.

"I had come over from Lauderdale on the half chance of a human interest story..."

The epilogue by the reporter gives details about the car eventually being found in a canal with two skeletons in it, but writes about the police still trying to catch the midnight driver.

"...I saw, through a smeared window, the two huddled masses, the slumped boy and girl, side by side, still belted in."

The car is painted strawberry red with gold metal flake or veining.

Last line of the story: "Strawberry red. Flecked with gold."

This is "The Legend of Joe Lee" by John D. MacDonald.

I read it in Judy Merrill's 1965 collection "10th Annual Edition: The Year's Best SF"

The story is written in the PoV of a reporter on assignment for the story.

"I had come over from Lauderdale on the half chance of a human interest story..."

The epilogue by the reporter gives details about the car eventually being found in a canal with two skeletons in it, but writes about the police still trying to catch the midnight driver.

"...I saw, through a smeared window, the two huddled masses, the slumped boy and girl, side by side, still belted in."

The car is painted strawberry red with gold metal flake or veining.

It ends: "Strawberry red. Flecked with gold."